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Toledo students host panel on gun violence

Local students recently created a chapter of Students Demand Action Toledo, geared toward educating and preventing gun violence in our communities.

TOLEDO, Ohio — Youth leaders across Toledo came together Tuesday night to raise awareness for gun violence and prevention.

Students Demand Action Toledo hosted a panel featuring Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz, Toledo Public Schools superintendent and a gun violence survivor.

The panel is called "How Gun Violence Affects Toledo’s Youth." Students Demand Action Toledo formed last summer and is made up of students from all across the Toledo school system. Its goal is to end gun violence in local communities.

Students Demand Action is part of the national group Everytown for Gun Safety. It is made up of several groups from Moms Demand Action and Mayors Against Illegal Guns to gun-violence survivors and students. 

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The student branch was formed after the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida that killed 17 people. 

All of these groups collectively are working to end gun violence through awareness and educating the public and lawmakers on the consequences of gun violence in local communities.

"Young people really have the passion and the energy to get people to commit to action," co-founder Zack Maaieh said. "It's been so long since shootings have been happening and the problem has been getting worse and there hasn't been anything happening."

"The youth provides not only a different perspective," co-founder Kavita Parikh said. "But we also have a different energy and creativity that allows us to approach the problem in a different way and knowing that we're the future generation, we're the future voters, we're the ones being affected."

With the mayor and several school leaders in attendance, students hope to offer solutions and make an impact on future policy-making to help keep communities safe from guns.

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